Work Plan Execution Skill

Execute a work plan efficiently while maintaining quality and finishing features.

Input

Reference the work document (plan, specification, or todo file) using @file/path/to/plan.md.

Execution Workflow

Phase 1: Quick Start

1. Read Plan and Clarify

   • Read the work document completely
   • Review any references or links provided in the plan
   • If anything is unclear or ambiguous, ask clarifying questions now
   • Get user approval to proceed
   • Do not skip this - better to ask questions now than build the wrong thing

2. Setup Environment

   Choose work style:

   Option A: Live work on current branch

   git checkout main && git pull origin main
   git checkout -b feature-branch-name
   

   Option B: Parallel work with worktree (recommended for parallel development)

   Use @skill/git-worktree to create a new branch from main in an isolated worktree.

   Recommendation: Use worktree if:

   • Working on multiple features simultaneously
   • Keeping main clean while experimenting
   • Planning to switch between branches frequently

   Use live branch if:

   • Working on a single feature
   • Prefer staying in the main repository

3. Create Todo List

   • Maintain a todo list (in a markdown file or inline) to break plan into actionable tasks
   • Include dependencies between tasks
   • Prioritize based on what needs to be done first
   • Include testing and quality check tasks
   • Keep tasks specific and completable

Phase 2: Execute

1. Task Execution Loop

   For each task in priority order:

   while (tasks remain):
     - Mark task as in_progress
     - Read any referenced files from the plan
     - Look for similar patterns in codebase
     - Implement following existing conventions
     - Write tests for new functionality
     - Run tests after changes
     - Mark task as completed
   

2. Follow Existing Patterns

   • The plan should reference similar code - read those files first
   • Match naming conventions exactly
   • Reuse existing components where possible
   • Follow project coding standards (see @file/AGENTS.md)
   • When in doubt, grep for similar implementations

3. Test Continuously

   • Run relevant tests after each significant change
   • Don't wait until the end to test
   • Fix failures immediately
   • Add new tests for new functionality

4. Track Progress

   • Keep todo list updated as tasks complete
   • Note any blockers or unexpected discoveries
   • Create new tasks if scope expands
   • Keep user informed of major milestones

Phase 3: Quality Check

1. Run Core Quality Checks

   Always run before submitting:

   • Run full test suite
   • Run linting per project configuration

2. Review Guidance (Optional for complex changes)

   For large, risky, or complex changes, consider using:

   • @guidance/code-simplicity-review - Check for unnecessary complexity
   • @guidance/rails-review - Verify Rails conventions (Rails projects)
   • @guidance/performance-review - Check for performance issues
   • @guidance/security-review - Scan for security vulnerabilities

3. Final Validation

   • All todo tasks marked completed
   • All tests pass
   • Linting passes
   • Code follows existing patterns
   • No console errors or warnings

Phase 4: Ship It

1. Create Commit

   git add .
   git status  # Review what's being committed
   git diff --staged  # Check the changes
   
   # Commit with conventional format
   git commit -m "feat(scope): description of what and why"
   

2. Create Pull Request

   git push -u origin feature-branch-name
   gh pr create --title "Feature: [Description]" --body "..."
   

   Include in PR description:

   • Summary of what was built and why
   • Testing notes
   • Screenshots for UI changes (before/after)

3. Notify User

   • Summarize what was completed
   • Link to PR
   • Note any follow-up work needed

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Key Principles

Start Fast, Execute Faster

• Get clarification once at the start, then execute
• Don't wait for perfect understanding - ask questions and move
• The goal is to finish the feature, not create perfect process

The Plan is Your Guide

• Work documents should reference similar code and patterns
• Load those references and follow them
• Don't reinvent - match what exists

Test As You Go

• Run tests after each change, not at the end
• Fix failures immediately
• Continuous testing prevents big surprises

Quality is Built In

• Follow existing patterns
• Write tests for new code
• Run linting before pushing

Ship Complete Features

• Mark all tasks completed before moving on
• Don't leave features 80% done
• A finished feature that ships beats a perfect feature that doesn't

Quality Checklist

Before creating PR, verify:

• All clarifying questions asked and answered
• All todo tasks marked completed
• Tests pass
• Linting passes
• Code follows existing patterns
• Commit messages follow conventional format
• PR description includes summary and testing notes

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Analysis paralysis - Don't overthink, read the plan and execute
• Skipping clarifying questions - Ask now, not after building wrong thing
• Ignoring plan references - The plan has links for a reason
• Testing at the end - Test continuously or suffer later
• 80% done syndrome - Finish the feature, don't move on early